Due to the explosive growth of sports betting sponsorship, there is now a whole generation of children growing up watching Australian sport on television who think that gambling on sport, discussing the odds, knowing the point spread etc, is simply the normal way of things.

How can this be? How can the government ban tobacco advertising and rightly restrict alcohol advertising on the grounds that children should not be exposed to it, and allow this to go to air?

It is beyond dispute that gambling is an addictive and potentially devastating pastime and yet advertising for it is allowed to be inextricably interwoven with glamorous sports coverage, heavily watched by young Australians not yet old enough to understand its dangers.

We, the undersigned, respectfully call on those in Canberra charged with caring for the nation's welfare to move beyond mere empty rhetoric, and actually do something - place a ban on this iniquitous practice, that can and will be enforced.

Thank you.

Letter to

Prime Minister of AustraliaJulia Gillard

Federal Communications MinisterStephen Conroy

Federal Opposition LeaderTony Abbott

Ban sports betting information from broadcast during live sporting events